


Curse Of The Moon

by afangirlsplaylist



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Werewolf Link, brotherly rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 14:24:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12608612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afangirlsplaylist/pseuds/afangirlsplaylist
Summary: Link doesn’t make it home after work on one night that changes both of their lives forever. (Terrible summary and title, I’m open to suggestions)Happy (late) Halloween!





	Curse Of The Moon

 

Unlike most of the world Rhett didn’t look forward to when the moon was high and full in the night sky. It was a curse more than something to be admired, and if it was a curse for him that wasn’t anything to what it was like for his best friend.

Link grew quiet and cold the closer the days drew to a full moon. He never faltered on camera but when the crew went home and they were the only ones there, it was normal for Rhett to find him brooding alone, drinking a beer on the couch.

Talking was useless. That was the hardest part for Rhett to get used to. Link was usually the one person he could talk through anything with, had been for decades. It was probably the reason they’d been able to hold onto their friendship in the first place. But the Link in the days before an impending full moon - was not that man.

He’d stare into the beer like he was planning on falling into it - hardly acknowledging Rhett’s footsteps. They didn't drink much anymore - between the demands of family and work there was little time for it. But all it took was a glance at the high windows - where the blinds were shut tight to block out the view of the taunting moon, for Rhett to figure it out. If Link did take notice of him it was to cast a dark look in his direction, a look Rhett had only ever seen when Link was truly upset.  _Back off. I don’t want to talk._

He knew it was the night of a full moon (not that he could ever forget) when he’d walk in and find Link without a beer in his hand. Instead, he’d be staring blankly at the opposite wall with sweat pouring off his face - His hands and body shaking with slight tremors. It was as if he was cold, even though they were in the middle of the late afternoon L.A heat and the AC was off. It wasn’t until the sun had almost fallen completely that Link took notice of Rhett, as the taller man moved to lift him up.

Link stirred to attention groggily when Rhett had pulled him off the couch and got an arm around his waist, easily guiding him to the loft stairs. In such a state Link wasn’t much help, and Rhett was thankful, every time, that Link was so light.

One step up - Link could feel the tall body gripping his waist and pressing tightly to his side, a soft beard brushing against his cheek.

Two steps up - he inhales air sharply, grogginess and confusion giving way to keen wolf-ish senses. He's overwhelmingly aware of Rhett’s smell now, something that haunted him when he'd first turned. It's something like sandalwood and petrichor, and he worried, whenever he caught Rhett’s scent across the office in the days after - whether the familiar smell would spark the wolf in him and send him rushing to attack his friend. It took three moons before he felt safe that it wouldn't.

Six steps up - feral anger and survival instinct rises up within him. He tries to throw Rhett off but Rhett knows it’s coming and doubles his grip, used to it from years of childhood wrestling.

By the time Rhett throws open the loft door Link is almost gone.

He’d learned how to tune out the way Link would cry, scream and shake as he chained him to the specially installed steel post in their loft - his forehead now shiny with sweat. The only thing that kept Rhett going was a desire to keep Link and everyone in the vicinity of the studio safe. He reminded himself, as he pulled the chain tight around the post - that the desperate pleas were just the wolf talking. That every second Link begged for him to stop, or spat rage at him for doing this, wasn’t real. But it was hard, as the lock of the chain clicked into place, to ignore it. The whimpers escaping Link’s lips already had a wolffish edge to them, but the sad, broken and betrayed look in his watery eyes was all Link.

_Don't leave me alone_

_How could you?_

The Link that was still in there was practically screaming for him. The same Link he'd kept secrets for over three decades. The same Link he’d let come over to his house and cry out his heartbreak on his shoulder when he was broken enough to let go of his pride. He needed him. Just like the first time Link had needed him and he'd failed. When some... thing had sunk its teeth into Link’s arm in the first place. He was meant to be there to protect him, and he hadn't been.

It’d been a rare occasion where they drove into work separately. He could hear a sick and fussy Lando through the phone when Link had called, saying something about running late. So Rhett drove to work ahead of him. He’d wondered, when he was brave enough to think about it - what might have happened if they’d carpooled, or if Link had made it into his car and drove home that night.

But he didn’t like to think about that.

Link had seemed so absorbed in his work that evening, his eyes fixated on his laptop - that Rhett left before him. He knew Link well enough not to disturb him, so he’d made the mistake of leaving Link alone to close the studio.  

It was nothing he hadn't done plenty of times before, and it was easy enough to pretend he could never have seen it coming. But if he HAD been there…. he could've fought it off. He could've talked Link into going home early. He could've taken the bite himself.

He felt sick to his stomach at himself just thinking about it.

In fact, he hadn't known anything was wrong until hours later, when he was woken by a call from a panicked Christy.

_Link hadn't come home._

_Rhett’s eyes widened when he cast a sleepy glance at his alarm clock. 4am. A whole ten hours since he'd left Link at the office._

_There was no way Link wouldn't be home by now without an explanation or call. He knew it even as he muttered useless assurances to Christy._

_Unfortunately for him, Christy was far from a stupid woman and it didn't help at all._

_“I’ll head back to the studio, call me if he comes home.” Rhett urged._

_His hands fumbled for his clothes on the floor by his bed while Jessie stirred with concern at the sound of his voice._

_“It's Link.” He told her, and there was no need for him to say anything more._

_Shoving his clothes on he hurried to his car, barely holding the speed limit as he peeled out of the drive. His knee bounced and his fingers tapped at the wheel, relaxing only when he turned the final bend._

_He hoped to see lights on at the studio. To find Link slumped asleep in his chair with his phone dead on the desk. But as the studio came into view it was completely dark inside._

_His heart sunk the moment he pulled into the lot and found Link’s car still in its spot with the door wide open. The man, Rhett knew, was a paranoid creature of habit, so it didn’t take long for the sight to flood him with panic like ice water._

_“Link! LINK!”_

_He screamed his name into the air but was answered by nothing but crickets._

_Looking over the car in a frenzy - his fear only heightened when he found Link’s phone on the ground by the door; then graduated into sheer terror when he spotted a few drops of blood feet from the phone._

_“Shit.” He muttered, slamming the door shut and following the trail of droplets with his eyes. “Link!”_

_His fingers itched over his own phone for a moment, half tempted to dial 911. But the sight of the blood stopped him. Just the thought of waiting for the police, tapping his foot while Link might be bleeding out there in the dark - was enough to drive him crazy. So he pocketed his phone and went on alone._

_The blood, still staining the ground in blessedly tiny drops, trailed out of the carpark and ended at the edge of the woods across the road. From there it was too dark to see anything more than leaves on the ground ahead, and Rhett’s mind raced with thoughts and explanations._

_What if he'd been dragged here?_

_What if he was hurt or dead?_

_Resisting the urge to call out again in case there was more than Link in there - Rhett stumbled deeper into the woods in search of him. He wished, too late, that he had water, a flashlight or even some kind of weapon - suddenly feeling incredibly vulnerable._

_He’d been walking for close to fifteen minutes, growing more anxious by the second - when he saw it. A pair of bright yellow eyes peering out from a bush. Startled, he stumbled and tripped, crawling backwards on his elbows as fast as they could carry him. When he looked up the eyes had gone as quickly as they’d appeared, but he could still sense something there. He was just about to turn heel when he heard a sob that made him pause, a howl-ish whimper that sounded almost human. Almost…. familiar._

_Getting to his feet, Rhett stood up and picked up the nearest, thick branch - walking slowly toward where the eyes had been._

_“Link?” He called tentatively._

_Another sob - louder and more obvious this time, broke the night air, and Rhett was sure, this time, that it was human. Still clutching the branch tight, he pushed the bush aside and raised the branch above his head in instinct._

_It was Link._

_Groaning with relief, Rhett dropped the branch at his feet but immediately realized something was wrong._

_Link’s eyes weren't bright yellow anymore, more a dull bronze that - as Rhett watched in amazement, were already turning navy. Link’s clothes were in tatters and matted blood covered his chest between the rips. He was a shadow of his best friend, but the shaggy dark hair was unmistakable._

_It was a few seconds before Link noticed he was there, but his eyes were at last bright blue again when he threw himself at Rhett - almost knocking him to the ground. He continued to sob as he wrapped his bloody, dirt covered arms around Rhett’s shoulders, gripping almost too tight._

_It was then, when Rhett turned his head and held him close - that he noticed the large wound on Link’s arm. It was so long and gash like that he guessed something had sunk its teeth into Link’s arm and drawn them downwards, like nails on a chalkboard._

_“Gosh Link. What the heck happened?”_

_But Link couldn't speak to give an answer. He shook and desperately clawed for grip at Rhett’s back between sobs. Clawing with, for just a moment - nails that felt sharper than he knew Link’s to be before they eased up again._

_“Help me out here brother.” Rhett pleaded, holding Link at arm's length and beginning to tear off a piece of the brunette’s ruined shirt._

_The best Link could do was throw one arm over Rhett’s shoulder for balance, leaving Rhett to tend to his other arm._

_It was still wet to the touch and mangled, the stretch of fabric in Rhett’s hand no where near enough to truly cover it. He could only hope it would do for now as he knotted it tight, assured that the worst of the bleeding was over at least. It wasn’t until he was satisfied Link wasn’t about to die that he turned his attention to the blood on his chest._

_“Where’s this blood from?” Rhett asked, but the question seemed to be beyond Link - who could hardly stand._

_“Link, where's the blood from?” He tried again._

_“Not mine.” Link muttered weakly. “Not mine.”_

_Frightened now, Rhett pressed a hand to it. “Whose is it? Do you know?”_

_Link merely shook his head. “Dunno.”_

_“Shit.” Rhett cursed under his brief again, pressing his free hand to his forehead. “Okay, hold on.”_

_He took a moment to send one brief text to Christy before shoving his phone back into his pants, tugging Link’s arm tighter around his shoulder. Explanations could come later. Now he had to get Link to safety._

_He had no idea if Link had any idea what was happening but the brunette made no objection when Rhett started walking him back the way he’d come. On the way he peered around them even more closely than he had on the way there - and it wasn't long before they found the source of the blood._

_Just off the path were the remains of what must have been a beautiful adult doe, strewn across the ground of the woods. They could only guess a coyote had got to the rest of it (Link, already dry heaving as he slowly gathered himself, didn’t like to think of the alternative.)_

_Gritting his teeth, Rhett dragged Link away from the sight and further down the path quickly, breathing easier only when the emerged at the roadside. Rhett considered them lucky, as they ambled across the road - that there were no cars passing to see them._

_Sunshine was beginning to filter into the studio when Rhett set Link down on the couch, before turning and promptly collapsing into his own chair._

_But he didn’t dare close his eyes. Even as Link gave into exhaustion Rhett didn’t so much as blink. It was as if he was worried Link would be gone again when he opened them._

_So he waited._

_He made calls, raided the first aid supplies and tended to Link. But mostly he sat, his chair facing the couch - until Link woke up._

_When he finally talked Link hardly remembered anything._

_He remembered leaving the studio and setting their alarm. He remembered walking across the parking lot, and he remembered sharp pains the moment he opened his car door. Beyond that his memories were foggy, up until they’d left the woods._

_“But what was it?” Rhett asked. “A coyote?”_

_Link’s brow furrowed in thought. “No.”_

_“Dog? Bear?” Rhett suggested, but Link shook his head to both._

_“Crazy person?” Rhett pressed, teeth gritting at the thought. “Wolf?”_

_“Yes.” Link answered._

_Rhett raised an eyebrow. “It was a crazy person?”_

_“Yes.” Link said, and then shook his head. “No. Not really”_

_“Wolf?”_

_Link nodded, his expression more sure now. “Yes.”_

_Thoroughly confused, Rhett looked at him in interest. “Which one is it?”_

_Link paused, looking at Rhett as if scared of what he was about to say._

_“It… kind of looked like both.”_

_That was when Rhett recalled the sharp nails digging into his back, the yellow eyes and the small howl he heard in the woods. As if looking for something his gaze travelled to Link’s fingers, which were still slightly red and pointed - then to Link’s arm, which was already mostly healed._

_By the end of the hour and some intensive googling they knew. They said the word._

_Werewolf._

_It took all the hot water the building had, and two pots of coffee, to rid themselves of the physical and mental dirtiness. After a trip to the dressing room Link’s tattered clothes were trashed. “I don't want to see those again.” Link had said firmly._

_Link didn't leave the studio for three days._

_Rhett had told him everything he’d seen in the woods, and it was enough for Link to make up his mind._

_Rhett argued that he was fine and Christy had to be worried, but Link started listing off, in a hysterical panic - everyone that doe could have been. Lincoln… Lilly… Lando… Christy… Jessie… Locke… Shepherd… a simple cop doing a search… or Rhett himself. It was too much for either to ignore._

So they rearranged their schedule and set up quarters. Taking three days until Link felt safe to leave until the next moon. Rhett had flat out refused to buy chains or a pole but Link insisted, allowing him no option. 

_“Besides.” Link had snickered, as he attempted to lighten the mood. “It’s funny to imagine their faces while you’re buying those.”_

_“Ha. Ha.” Rhett retorted dryly._

If Rhett had his way he'd lock Link in the warmth and safety of his own bedroom, but Link didn't want to be anywhere near his family when he turned so they had no choice but to use the isolation of their loft.  

It hurt Rhett’s soul to walk away with Link so distraught, crying for him to stay - and every full moon he hesitated with his finger on the light switch. The cries soon devolved into whines and howls in the darkness as Rhett determinedly flipped the light switch and turned to leave, unwilling to watch the wolf take over.                                    

He hates that the last thing he usually sees before he turns out the lights is the yellow tinge to Link’s eyes - tainting the blue. Something about it made him feel scared, yet also made the corners of his eyes prickle with near tears. Somewhere in the yellowing iris’ he could see Link dying behind his eyes, until he wasn’t there at all. Only the wolf. Even if there was no danger in staying Rhett didn't think he could - it was too much to sit in the loft and watch his friend die inside.

But coming back to him was worse.      

Rhett usually ascended the stairs and unlocked the door of the loft to silence, dawn illuminating Link in the corner of the room. Link wouldn’t say a word for several minutes, sitting against the pole with his head on his knees. Rhett knew better, after the first few moons - than to immediately release and comfort him, as much as he wanted to. Instead he slid carefully down the wall next to Link and sat beside him, waiting until Link would let him touch him without snarling or jerking out of his touch.

When Link relaxed, Rhett gently released Link’s hands and feet from the chains. He winced in sympathy and was careful of Link’s wrists, which were red and scarred from straining against the bonds all night - before laying the chains aside.

Rhett would get up without a word - returning with a warm, damp, rag. It was just long enough for Link’s eyes to turn and it was a relief to see the familiar blue as he pressed the rag against Link’s forehead.

“Hey, man.” Rhett said with a small smile.

“Hey.” Link said weakly, leaning his head back against the post. “Did I do anything last night?”

Instantly he sat up, looking around the room for any signs. When all he found were some fresh scratches to the pole and some welts to his wrists he sighed in relief.

“You’re fine.” Rhett assured him.

Pressing a hand against Link’s face he felt it before he reapplied the rag, immediately wiping his hand on his pants.

“Urgh.” Rhett said with comedic exaggeration. “You're so clammy.”

Link laughed. “Shut up.”

Rhett kept the mood light as he pressed the rag all over the wet, damp spots of Link’s face again, wiping away the signs of the night. When he felt Link sleepily leaning into the cool material, he slowly tugged it away and threw it into another corner.

No matter how many times he did this he never knew what to say at this point, so he racked his mind for a story.

“You remember that night you got hungover?” Rhett asked. “And you had to pretend to be sober at my house?”

Link grinned weakly. “I couldn't even walk straight, your mom had to be playing along.”

“She had a soft spot for you,” Rhett said. “I couldn't get away with any of that.”

“Well, you were a little troublemaker.” Link teased.

Rhett shrugged and punched Link lightly on the arm. “At least I didn’t get slapped in a library.”

Link tried to respond but it came out as a small hum, his eyes fluttering closed a little in exhaustion. He tried once more to say something but his head just lulled to the side, landing on Rhett’s shoulder.

Used to this after so many times, Rhett grasped Link under the arm and tugged him to his feet - leaving his shoulder at the perfect height for Link’s head to rest on.

As much as he teased at poked fun at Link for the quirk, the moment Link’s mouth went slack in the midst of sleep would always make Rhett smile. He had his friend again.

At least until the next moon.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love, please leave one :) <3
> 
> Note: I know it's L.A and they wouldn't have a wood across the road and there probably aren't any deer/does but just go with it :)


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